This invention relates to signaling devices and, more particularly, to flashing-light type signaling devices intended for use by boaters, campers, entertainers, motorists, military personnel, or any one wishing to attract attention.
A variety of signal devices are presently available on the consumer market. For example, chemical flares have been available for some time to motorist, campers and boaters. Similarly, flashing devices using pulses of light from incandescent lamp sources have been widely available, many of which can be purchased with extension cords which, for example, plug into an automobile cigarette lighter receptacle. Xenon flash units, some hermetically sealed, are also available to military personnel and yachtsmen and offer many repetitive bursts of light for signaling purposes.
Chemical flare signaling devices, especially the hand held types, have a significant disadvantage, however, in that they can be quite hazardous in the hands of children or adults inexperienced with their usage, as the pyrotechnic chemicals in such devices can cause severe burns. For marine applications, the hand held flares have additional disadvantages in that they typically are quite bulky, thereby making their attachment to life vests virtually impossible, and there is a possibility that the devices can become inoperative due to prolonged water exposure.
Flare launching devices which are available to propel pyrotechnic flares 100 to 300 feet into the air have similar disadvantages to hand held flares, with the additional disadvantage of being quite costly, thereby limiting their usage to professional yachtsmen.
Incandescent signaling devices, while not possessing the handling dangers associated with the chemical types, pose the disadvantages in many applications of requiring batteries, which can degenerate upon storage, thereby significantly reducing the user's confidence level that the device will operate when needed. Plug-in incandescent devices, such as those offered to motorists for distress signaling, pose a problem in that the long cords used with such devices can become entangled sufficiently to delay their availability for immediate usage. Further, automobile battery failures due to faulty electric generating equipment, for example, would render such device useless. Battery operated incandescent devices manufactured for marine usage pose the following additional problems. The corrosive ocean atmosphere undoubtedly accelerates failure of both the battery and its contacts. Moreover, prolonged periods of intense cold or heat, such as encountered at sea, will accelerate such failures. A further disadvantage of the incandescent lamp device is that the intensity of the light pulses would not be sufficient for effective use during day time rescue missions.
Xenon flashing devices powered by solid state circuitry overcome many of the disadvantages associated with chemical and incandescent signaling devices; however, their basic disadvantages include the need for batteries and their relatively high cost.